Bottle-filling machine.



No. 687,506. Patented Nov. 26, 190].

0. SPINDLEB.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

\ (Application filed Mar. 20, 1901.)

(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet I.

WITNESSES: 2 WOR ATTORNEYS n4: NORRIS pnzas ac. word-urns, wnsummo u. c

No. 687,506 PatentedN'ov. 26, I901.

c. SPINDLER.

BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE.

(A ficati on filed Mar. 20, 1901.) (No Model.) 4' Sheets Sheet 3.

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v WITNESSES: Q 1,3 '31-, 52% M i I y 9 ATTORNEYS THE Noam areas 00, PHoTa-uma, was-narrow, u. c

"No. 687,506. Patented Nov. 26, |9u|. c. SPINDLER.

BOTTLE-FILLING MACHINE.

(Application filed Max 20, 1901.)

4 Sheets-Shet 4.

(No Model.)

ATTORNEYS I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES SPINDLER, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

BOTTLE-FILLING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,506, dated November 26, 1901. Application filed March 2t), 1901. Serial No. 51,996- (No model.)

To a whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES SPINDLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at J er-l sey City, in thec'ounty of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Filling; Machines, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 1

The object of this invention is to provide an improved machine for filling bottles with beer or other gaseous liquids, a further ob ject being to provide a machine of this class by means of which. bottles may be quickly filled without the escape of gas from the liquid, which causes foaming and loss of the liquid and reduces the value thereof, a further object being to provide a machine of the class specified which may be quickly, easily, and conveniently cleaned whenever necessary; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in a machine of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of my improvement are designated by the same reference characters in each of the Views, and in which-- Figure '1 is a front elevation of a bottlefilling machine constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2, a sectional side View thereof; Fig. 3, a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and on an enlarged scale; Fig. 5, a sectional plan view of a detail of the construction on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a side view thereof; Fig. 7, a front view of a detail of the construction; Fig. 8, a side view thereof; Fig. 9, a front view of a part of the construction shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 10, a plan.

View of a disk valve which I employ; Fig. 11, a back view of a part of the construction shown in Fig. 7; Fig. 12, a section on the line 12 12 of Fig. 7, and Fig. 13 a section of a valve-casing which I employ.

In the practice of my invention I provide a main machine frame orsupport comprising a base 5 and uprights or supports 5, in which is mounted a shaft 5 provided adjacent to one end with a drive-wheel 5 and centrally thereof with a beveled pinion 5, and at the end opposite the drive-wheel 5 is a small pulleywheel 5 and mounted in said main frame or support is a supplemental shaft 5 provided with a pulley 5, which is geared in connection with the pulley 5 by a belt 5 and the supplemental shaft 5 is also provided with a pulley 6.

At the front of the main frame or support of the bottle-carrying machine is placed a table or bottle-carrying frame comprising uprights 7, transverse end bars 7, and horizontal side bars 7, and at each end of this frame and at the top thereof is placed a roller 7, on

which is mounted an endless belt 7 the upper reach of which passes over supplemental roller 7, which holds itin a substantially level position, and the lower reach of which passes over a roller 7 which is vertically ad- 'j ustable and by which the endless belt 7 may be tightened as desired.

The roller 7 is provided with cam-shaped bearings 7 at its opposite ends, and these bearings are mounted on or in standards 7 and by turning the said bearings the belt 7 may be tightened as desired.

One of the rollers 7 is geared in connection with the pulley 6 on the shaft 5 by a belt or band 8, and it will be understood that drive-chains or other suitable devices may be substituted for the gearing belts or bands 5 and 8 if desired, in which event sprocketwheels will be employed in place of the pulleys 011 which said belts or bands are mounted. The roller 7, which is operated by the belt or band 8, is provided with a pulley 8*, over which said belt or band passes, and in practice the bottles to be filled are placed on the upper reach of the endless belt 7 as shown at 8 in Fig. 2.

The frame or support of the machine is provided with uprights 9, two of which are shown, and these uprights are connected at a predetermined distance above the main frame or support by a cross-head 9, which is provided centrally with an upwardly-directed supplemental support 9 which is provided at the top with an annular head 9, on which rests a casing 10, between which and the annular head 9 are ball-bearings 11, and the bottom of said casing is provided centrally with an ICO opening 12, having a depending tubular neck 13, at the lower end of which is a packingbox 14, through which passes a water-tube 15, and said water-tube is provided at its lower end with a packing-box 16, and passing upwardly therethrough and through the water-tube 15 is an air-tube 17, which is held in place by the packing-box 16. The lower end of the air-tube is provided with a laterallydirected coupling-neck 18, having a nozzle 19, with which a flexible or other tube 20 is adapted to be connected, said tube being shown in dotted lines; and the lower end of the water-tube 15 is provided with a laterally-directed coupling 21, having a nozzle 22, with which a flexible or other tube 23 is adapted tobe connected, said tube being shown in dotted lines. The coupling 21 at the lower end of the water-tube 15 is supported by a bracket or other device 24, secured to the bottom of the cross-head 9, which forms a part of the supports or uprights 9, as shown in Fig. 1, and the casing 10 is adapted to turn on the annular head 9 of the supplemental support 9*.

The cross-head 9, which connects the uprights 9, is provided with forwardly-directed supports 25, through one of which passes a shaft 26, the lower end of which is provided with a beveled gear-wheel 27, which operates in connection with the beveled pinion 5 on the shaft 5", and the upper end of the shaft 26 is provided with a pinion 27, and a similar pinion 28 is mounted on the other support 25.

Suspended from the casing 10 are a number of hangers 29, four of which are preferably employed, and two of these hangers are provided with inwardlydirected arms 30, which support an annular gear 31, which incloses the pinions 27 and 28 and in connection with which said pinions operate, and by means of this construction the power-shaft 5 is enabled to turn the casing'lO.

The casing 10 is cylindrical in cross-section and forms a liquid-chamber 32, into which the air-tube 17 passes and into which the liquid-tube 15 opens, and the top of the casing 10 or the chamber therein is closed by two caps 33 and 34, between which is an air-chamber 35, and the top cap 34 is provided with a central raised portion 36, whereby a suppletom of the supplemental air-chamber 37 is closed by two differential diaphragms 38 and 39, between which is a space 40, provided with a port or passage 41, which opens to th outer air.

The diaphragms 38 and 39 are preferably made from thin corrugated sheet-copper and the adjustable feature of the valve 44 being shown in Fig. 4 only.

The diaphragms 38 and 39 are provided centrally with blocks 45, 46, and 47, the central block 46 serving to separate said diaphragms, and the upper end of the tube 43 is passed through these blocks and connected therewith by a screw-thread, as shown in Fig. 4, and the raised portion 36 of the top cap 34, by which the chamber 37 is formed, is provided with a vent 48, which is controlled by a valve 49. I

From the construction herein described it will be seen, as hereinbefore stated, that the casing 10 is adapted to be turned by the shaft 26, and in this operation the water-tube 15 and air-tube 17 remain stationary, and the casing 10 is provided with a plurality of hottle-holders, four of which are employed, and these bottle-holders, which are shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive, comprise a stationary member 50, secured to the base of the casing 10 at the bottom thereof, and at the upper ends of the hangers 29 and the stationary members 50 of the bottle-holders are each provided with a circular head 51, in which is formed a valve-chamber 52, in which. is placed a disk valve 53, and in connection with the stationary member of the bottle-holders is employed an oscillating member comprising a base 54, having a circular head 55, in which is forined a valve-chamber 56, and the disk valve 53 rests partially in the valve-chamber 52 in the stationary member of the bottleeess 60, which is much wider than the notch or recess 58, whereby the valve 53 is held stationary in the stationary member of the bottle-holder, while the oscillating portion of j said holder is free to move on the bolt 57, as hereinafter described.

mental air-chamber 37 is formed, and the bot- The stationary member of each of the bottle-holders is provided with a port or passage 61, which communicates with the chamber 32, as shown in Fig. 2, and with a port or passage 62, which opens upwardly and outwardly through a coupling-neck 63, and connected with each of these coupling-necks 63 is a tube 64, having a valve-casing 65 and. in communication with the chamber 35, as shown at 66 in Fig. 2. The oscillating member of the bottile-holders is provided with a port or passage 67,which opens downwardly into a chamber 68 in the bottom of the base of said oscillating member, and said oscillating member is also provided with another port or passage 69., which passes downwardly to said chamber and communicates with a tube 70, secured inthe base of said oscillating member. The port or passage 67, where itopens into the valve-chamber 56 of the oscillating member of the bottleholder .is oblong or elliptical in form, as shown in Fig. 11,the object of this construction being to admit air into the bottle, as hereinafter described, before the liquid is admittedthereinto, and the disk valve 53 in each of the bottleholders is provided with a port or passage 53, which corresponds with the ports or passages 62 and 67 in the separate. members of the holder, and with a port or passage 53*, which corresponds with the ports or passages 61 and 69 in the separate members of the holder.

The base of the oscillating member of each holder is enlarged on the inner side thereof, as shown at 71, and passing through said enlarged portions 71 is anangular arm 72,which is adjustable therein by means of a set-screw 7 3, and mounted on said arm 72 are two clamping-jaws 74, (shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6,) and these clamping-jaws are each provided with an inwardlydirected shank 75, connect ed by a spring-cla mp or similar device 76, which operates to force the jaws 74 apart, and said jaws or the body portions 74 thereof are provided with an angular opening 77,through which the arm 72 passes, and are free'to slide on said arm.

Below the jaws 7 t a vertically-movable slide 78 is mounted on the arm 72 and provided at the outer side thereof with outwardly and upwardly directed dogs 79, connected at'the top by a transverse pin 80, and said dogs are inclined outwardly and upwardly, and the jaws 74 are provided with neck portions 74 which pass between the dogs 79, and when the slide 78 is raised, as hereinafter described, the jaws 74 are forced together, and when the slide 78 moves downwardly the jaws 74 are allowed to separate, this action being accomplished by the spring 76.

Secured to the lower end of the arm 72 are outwardly-directed fingers 81, between which the body portion of the bottle is placed in practice, as hereinafter described, and pivotally connected with the slide 79 is a yokeshaped device 82, with which is connected a tube 83, the lower end of which is slotted at the opposite sides, as shown at 84:, and secured to the lower end of each of the hangers 29 is a support 85, to which is pivoted ashort arm 86, which is provided with an angular finger or pin 87, which passes into the corresponding tube 83 and is provided with a transverse pin 88, which passes through the slots 84, and within the tube 83 is placed aspring 89, which bears on the pin 88 and on the upper end of the tube 83 or a suitable support placed at said end of said tube. By reason j that the air-pressure in the chamber 37 will of this construction the oscillating member of each of the bottle-holders may be swung down vertically into the position shown at the right of Figs. 1 and 2 or may be swung outwardly into the position shown at the left of said figures, and in either position, and especially inthe position at the right of said figures, the oscillating member of the bottleholders will be held by the spring 89, and by grasping the arm 72 and pulling outwardly the oscillating member of the bottle-holder may be swung outwardly into the position shown at the left of Figs. 1 and 2, and the last-named position is that in which the bottlesare connected with or removed from the holders, and the oscillating member of each of said holders or the base thereof is provided witha rubber or other gasket 90, which is placed in the chamber 68, and in practice the neck of the bottle is inserted intothis chamber and rests against said gasket while the tube 70 enters the bottle, said tube being preferably curved at its lower end and. being also provided with a port or passage 91, through which liquid is adapted-to pass into the bottle.

In practice the barrel or other vessel containing the liquid with which it is desired to fil-l the bottles is placed on-a suitable support at the back of the machine, as indicated at 92 in Fig. 2, and the tubes 20 and 23 are connected therewith, the air-tube being connected with the top of the barrel and the liquid-tube with the bottom thereof. As hereinbefore stated, the bottle-supporting table or frame is placed at the front of the machine, and the form and construction of the latter are such that the bottle-holding devices as the casing revolves extend out over said bottle-holding table or carrying-support, and the operator stands in front of the bottles and in front of the machine, and as the casing'lO revolves a bottle is connected with each of the holders by inserting the neck thereof up between the jaws 74.- and into the gasket 90, the tube 70 passing downwardly into the bottle. In this operation the holders are in the position shown at the left of Figs. 1 and 2, and as a bottle is connected with each holder the oscillating part of the holder is forced backwardly into avertical position or into the position shown at the right of said figures, in which position it remains until the bottle is filled, and it will be understood that the bottles are filled as the casing 10 revolves, and as the filled bottles are turned to the operator the oscillating member of the holders is swung outwardly, and the filled bottle is removed with one hand, while another bottle is inserted into the holder.

In the operation of filling the bottles the beer or other liquid under air-pressure passes from the barrel 92 into the chamber 32 and at the same time the air passes through the tubes and 17 into said chamber and passes therefrom into. the chambers and 36.

The diaphragms 3S and 39 are so regulated be preferably about twelve pounds,while that in the chamber 35 will be preferably about ten pounds, and the pressure of the liquid in the chamber 32 is supposed to be twelve pounds.

32 to the chamber 35.

By reason of the formation of the port or passage 67 in theoscillating member of the bottle-holders, as hereinbefore described, the air enters the bottles before the liquid as the oscillating member of the holders is turned downwardly, and when the said oscillating member is turnedinto-the position shown at the right in Fig. 1 the air and liquid are both free to enter into the bottles and the required pressure of the air is maintained at all times by the diaphragms 38 and 39, while the liquid is prevented from rising in the pipes 64 far enough to be discharged into the chamber 35 by means of the valve mechanism of the valvecasings 65. These casings contain an inner glass tube 64, and the tubes-64 are composed of separate sections, between which said glass tube forms a communication, and in the tube 64 is placed a ball-valve 64 which is adapted to close the upper section of the tube 64, but cannot close the lower section by reason of a support 64, placed in the lower section, which prevents the valve from closing said section, and the casing is open at one side, as shown at 65, so that the position ofsaid valve may be seen. It will also be apparent that if at any time the pressure in the chamber 35 becomes too great the valve 44 will be raised by the diaphragms 38 and 39 and the port or passage 43 in thebottom cap 33 of the chamber 32 will be closed and the liquid from said chamber cannot rise into the chamber 35.

In the operation of this machine the pressure in chamber 32, created by the liquid flowing into said chamber and through the pipe 42 into the chamber 37, will rise to twelve pounds, and the pressure of the air or gas will also enter the chamber 35 through the port or passage controlled by the valve 44 until the pressure of about 10 pounds is reached, when the diaphragm 39 will close .the valve 44. As soon as a bottle is placed on one of the holders the pressure in the chamber 35 will fall and. the diaphragm 38 will operate to open the valve 44, thus allowing a new supply of air or gas from the chamber The air from the bottle or bottles will partly flow back to the chamber 35, but not in sufficient quantity to maintain the pressure therein on account of the oblong opening 67 in the movable head of the bottle-holder and for the reason that the bottles do not close tight against the gasket 90 in time to prevent the escape of air from the said chamber 35. It will also be noted that the pressure throughout the machine is limited and regulated by the pressure within the cask 92, which is in communication with an air-pressure-supply source (not shown) by way of a pipe 92, as shown in Fig. 2. The air-pressure from the cask 92 is supplied to the machine through the pipe 20; but the flow of air through this pipe may be cut off by a suitable valve 20, made to open when desired. The preferred pressure in the cask 92 is twelve pounds; but this pressure will depend to some extent on the (same height of the cask or barrel. barrel is placed in the position shown in the drawings, it may be necessary to provide a reduction-valve for the pipe 20; but these features will be understood and may be regulated by theoperator of the machine. The air is not allowed in practice to pass through the pipe 20 until the liquid has risen in the chamber 32 to a permanent'point, after which the air is allowed to flow through the pipe 20, and the filling of the bottles may be begun and proceeded with as herein described.

Although I have used the terms liquid and air throughout this specification, it will be understood that this apparatus is applicable for the purpose of filling bottles with beer, ale, or any air or gas charged liquids, such as mineral and other waters, and many changes in and modifications of the construction described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invent-ion or sacrificing its advantages. It will also be apparent that the casing 10 may be turned in either direction, and the bottle carrying or supporting belt 7 may also be moved in either direction, all that is necessary to accomplish these results being to reverse the movement of the shaft 5".

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A machine of the class described, provided with a casing which is adapted to be turned in either direction and is provided with three separate chambers, two of which are designed for air or gas and one for liquids, and means for regulating the pressure in said chambers, substantially as shown and described.

2. A machine of the class described provided with a casing which is adapted to be turned in either direction and is provided with three separate chambers, two of which are designed for air or gas and one for liquids, and means for regulating the pressure in said chambers, said casing being also provided with bottle-holding devices, substantially as shown and described.

3. A machine of the class described, provided with a casing which is adapted to be turned in either direction and is provided with three separate chambers, two of which are designed for air or gas and one for liquids, and means for regulating the pressure in said chambers, said casing being also provided with bottle-holding devices, consisting of two separate members one of which is adapted to oscillate radially, substantially as shown and described.

4. A machine of the class described, provided with a casing which'is adapted to turn in a horizontal plane, said casing being provided with three separate chambers arranged one above another the bottom chamber being adapted to serve as a liquid-chamber, the upper chambers as air or gas chambers, and means for controlling the pressure in each of if the cask or said chambers, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a machine of the class described, a bottle-holding device comprising a stationary and an oscillating member, each of which is provided with a port or passage, a disk valve placed between said members, and adapted to control said ports or passages, the oscillating member being also provided with means for connecting a bottle therewith, substan tially as shown and described.

6. In a machine of the class described, a bottle-holding device comprising a stationary and an oscillating member, each of which is provided with a port or passage, a disk valve placed between said members, and adapted to control said ports or passages, the oscillating member being also provided with means for connecting a bottle therewith, consisting of a rigid arm, movable jaws mounted thereon, a slide mounted beneath said jaws and provided with upwardly-directed arms or members adapted to contract said jaws, and means for operating said slide, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a machine of the class described, a bottle-holding device comprising a stationary and an oscillating member, each of which is provided with a port or passage, a disk valve placed between said members, and adapted to control said ports or passages, the oscillating member being also provided with means for connecting a bottle, therewith, consisting of a rigid arm, movable jaws mounted thereon, a slide mounted beneath said jaws and provided with upwardly-directed arms or members adapted to contract said jaws, and means for operating said slide, said oscillating member being also provided with a tube which is adapted to enter the bottle, substantially as shown and described.

8. A machine of the class described, comprising a casing which is adapted to turn in a horizontal plane and which is provided with three chambers one above another, the bottom chamber being designed for liquids and the other chambers for gas or air, a bottleholder connected with said casing and in communication with the liquid-chamber and also in communication with one of the air or gas chambers by means of a pipe in which is placed a valve said bottle-holder consisting of a stationary and an oscillating part, with the latter of which the bottle is adapted to be connected, the separate parts of the bottleholder being also provided with ports or passages and a disk valve which is adapted to control the same, substantially as shown and described.

9. A machine of the class described provided with a bottle-holder comprising a stationary and a radially-oscillating part, each of which is provided with a port or passage, a valve placed between said parts for controlling said ports or passages and movable with one of said parts and bottle-holding devices connected with the oscillating part comprising a rigid arm, movable jaws mounted thereon, a slide mounted on said arm for operating said jaws, a tubular member connected with said slide and provided at one end with a pivotalsupport,said tubular memher being provided with a spring, and said pivoted support with a sliding finger which operates in connection with said spring, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a machine of the class described, a

revoluble casing provided with a plurality of chambers arranged one above another, the bottom chamber being designed for liquids and the upper chambers for air or gas, a stationary liquid-tube communicating with the bottom of said casing, an air or gas tube passing therethrough, and bottle-holding devices connected with said casing and in communication with the liquid-chamber,substantially as shown and described.

11. In a machine of the class described, a revoluble casing provided with a plurality of chambers arranged one above another, the bottom chamber being designed for liquids, and the upper chambers for air or gas, a sta-- tionary liquid-tube communicating with the bottom of said casing, an air or gas tube passing therethrough, and bottle-holding devices connected with said casing and in communication with the liquid-chamber, and airholding devices also in communication with said bottle-holding devices, and with one of the airor gas chambers,substantiallyas shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presonce of the subscribing witnesses, this 18th day of March, 1901.

CHARLES SPINDLER.

Witnesses;

T. A. STEWART, F. F. TELLER. 

